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2014 Topps Gypsy Queen Baseball Preview

Another day, another product preview from Topps!

I’ve probably said this before but it always amazes me how far in advance this design and product information gets released. It’s as if for each set that gets produced, work on the following years set appears to start almost immediately. Crazy turnaround from those busy design teams!!

Anyway, the information for next years ever-popular Gypsy Queen set is now available, so click on the link below to take a look!

Here’s the base card and I’ve got to admit it’s the strongest design since the inaugural release. I would have gone so far to say that it was the best of all the base card designs until Ryan of Cardboard Connection and Craig of My Baseball Card Blog both pointed out the ‘floating’ name box towards the bottom of the card. Now it sticks out like a bloody sore thumb and it does something to the overall aesthetic that doesn’t quite sit right!

That said, it’s still a nice looking base card and sets the product up nicely!

In terms of the set content it’s pretty much the same as the last couple of years, except with more buttons, more coins and more flags! Flags?!?!

Interestingly Topps have introduced parallel autographs this year to sit alongside the base autographs. As always the autos look as if they’re all on-card, but why do we need parallel autographs?? I’ve never been a big fan of the ones in Tribute and I’m not really loving these either!

I just can’t understand why we really need them. The beauty and value of an autographed card is the signature itself, not the colour of the card it comes on! The “limitedness” of parallel autographs only acts as a catalyst to drive up prices on the secondary market and make life more difficult for player and autograph hunters.

C’mon Topps!!! We haven’t needed these in GQ for the past three years so why do you think we need them now! Just the autograph on the card – that’ll do nicely thank you very much!

Autograph moaning aside there is one particular standout insert from the 2014 product that I’ll definitely be chasing down – the N174, based on the original 1887 Gypsy Queen cards!

That’s going to be one lovely looking set!!

Overall the 2014 product looks as if it will be another winner!! Plenty of content and plenty of inserts – a boxbreakers dream!!

Now, if they can just do something about those bloody ‘floating’ name bars!!